Jonathan woke slowly, as someone strange to him, was calling out his name. He felt him gently patting his face. The sound of his voice seemed so foreign to him. This was someone he has not met... did not know.
As his eyes fluttered open, he realized he was back in the hospital again. In a intoxicated, confused state, his mind seemed to only want the sweetness of the sleep he was being roused from. It being so far from the things he feared most in life. A appeasing moment of peace that was being so rudely interrupted, he moaned to the man that was his enemy at the moment.
When trying to swallow, he found a tube down his throat. The shock of reality quickly crashed down around him. He panicked.
"Whoa!" The male nurse grasped his shoulders pinning him, as he began to flounder about.
Jonathan looked up at the man, as his eyes began to relay the cold fact of his fear to him silently. They welled, spilling quickly into his hairline that was still covered by a thin net. And it seemed that even it would not deny the truth as it is, absorbing the moisture almost instantly.
"It's okay... You're fine... Rest easy, champ." The kind man stroked his head gently, to calm the youth. "You're okay... Dr. Carroll's on his way now... He'll explain everything."
Even as the man spoke, Greg pushed through the doors at a fast gate toward the youth. Coming up into the teen's view, he looked him over thoroughly.
"Jonathan, did your Uncle beat you a lot?"
Jonathan nodded slightly. His eyes drooped to a gentle close, as he fought the sleep that continued to linger.
"Did he beat you with his fists?" The man asked, handing something to the nurse that stood on the opposite side of the doctor.
Jonathan nodded again.
"Did he also beat you with something other than his fists?"
Another nod...
"What he did, was break off one of your short ribs. It punctured your stomach and inexplicably healed that way. We went in and removed the rib, but we also had to remove a small part of your stomach. You'll be fine... You won't miss it... But, you'll need to follow a very strict diet for a while.
"It also means, you will need to rest, and be very careful not to injure yourself for a while. I'll explain more in detail, when we get you to a room. I won't keep you here long. But I need you where I can be sure you're okay for a while. So, we'll have to work this out together, okay?"
Jonathan nodded slightly again. his eyes continuing to want to close out the world that surrounded him... to escape the reality of his plight... the cold harshness of such damned luck.
"I've got to go check on another patient. You do what this man tells you. He'll be watching over you for me. So, you behave yourself." Greg smiled gently. "He's a brute when he has to be." he teased then. "He was watching over you before, but from outside your room. This time he'll be right there by your side, so you won't be alone, Jonathan."
The youth smiled faintly.
"Okay, keep 'im comfortable. I'll be back in a few minute with a room for him." Greg told the man to Jonathan's left.
"Sure, Doc..." The man smiled at Greg, who then turned, leaving them alone together. "I'm Tony..." The stalwart, muscular man informed the youth, with a broad grin.
Jonathan nodded. Lifting his left hand that was laden with tubes, a butterfly I.V. and tape, he pointed at the nametag the man wore on his white jacket.
"Oh, you noticed, huh? Smart kid." The man's gentle baritone voice teased. "You must be really special, you know? I'm gettin' paid overtime to guard you 24/7 until you leave. And then I might be goin' home with ya. He ain't decided yet. I think he's waitin' to see how well we get along first."
Jonathan nodded, fighting to stay awake and listen to the man.
"You keep them eyes open for me. When we get you to a room, you can sleep all you want." The man coaxed.
Jonathan nodded once more.
"Yeah, I'm not to leave your side... Not even for a second... He told me about yer mean ol' Uncle... And that he might be comin' lookin' for ya. He interviewed several of us orderlies, just for this job. Said he may need one for you for several weeks." The man rambled on. "I think we'll get alone really well... you know, I been workin' here for almost ten years. Started when I was just nineteen. Funny how time flies, really... Here comes, Doc..."
Jonathan turned his head, looking for Greg.
"Hey, lie still... You'll disconnect my hose." Tony fussed gently.
"Take 'im down to 508..." Greg ordered politely. "Stay with 'im... Don't leave him for anything... Not even a code blue."
"Okay, Doc..." The man started to move right away to do exactly what the doctor had ordered.
Jonathan reached for the doctor, as he started away from his bedside. Greg vaguely felt him grasp his jacket sleeve. Turning back to him, he leaned over into the youth's view.
"What's wrong, Babe?" Greg asked openly, but in an almost whisper.
Jonathan motioned for the tube to be removed.
"Not yet, Babe... I need to be sure we get all the junk outta your stomach first. It was either this or a nasty hole in your side..."
Jonathan grimaced at that.
"I thought as much..." Greg smiled, half laughing. "You go on down to your room now and I'll be down in a little while. Tony is going to watch over you for me. He even brought a book to read to you, if you want him to."
Jonathan nodded again.
"Okay... I'll see you in a little while. You behave yourself, or I'll let Tony spank you. He likes to spank people." Greg leaned closer, whispering to him the last.
Jonathan's eyes widened at the thought. The two men laughed.
"You can relax around him. He's kinda, family... As a matter of fact, Bruce insisted, I hire him. Although, I had to go through the motions of interviewing all of the applicants." Greg spoke low to the youth.
Jonathan nodded smiling faintly again.
"Take 'im on down." Standing straight, Greg looked at the man, then turned and left them.
Tony began to wheel Jonathan out of the recovery room. With the help of a couple nurses, who pushed the machines that were hooked to the youth, they quickly wheeled him into the corridor. They pushed him into an elevator and then to his new room, where the group of people transferred him to his new bed. Tony then pulled up the chair beside his bed, sitting. That's where he stayed for a long time.
Greg came into the room seeing the two watching a program on t.v. He moved around the bed, checking the bag and the machine. Tony turned off the tube so that Jonathan could hear the man's instructions without any distractions.
"I think we can remove this by morning, Jonathan. You're doin' great. If you need to you can lie on your right side... But not your left... I know how you like to lie on your stomach, but that's outta the question right now.
"If you keep improving, you can go home in about four days. Bruce and I, are workin' on a deal to have someone with you, while I'm not home. Once you get home, you'll need to stay in bed for a week or so. No movin' around, and no sleepin' on your tummy. You'll be home for six weeks, minimum. Then we might let you go with Bruce. But the bouncin' around in the truck, would be a bad thing for you right now. Okay?"
Jonathan nodded slightly, closing his eyes as realization set in.
"Hey, it's for the best, I promise. I'm not tryin' to keep you from goin'. If you were any other patient, I'd tell you the same thing. Okay?" Greg reasoned.
Jonathan smiled faintly once more.
"Bruce and I are planning to let Tony watch you while I'm at work. He's in Oklahoma this mornin' and can't get outta the load he's under. So, he won't be back until later next week. He said he's gonna drop by and see us. But then he has to leave right out again. He's gonna stay at my place for a night."
Jonathan's eyes widened again.
